Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #25

"Buffy" Season 8 finally gets to the bottom of Dawn's mysterious changes in issue #25! Doug Petrie, formerly a writer and director on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" television series, joins _Buffy_ Season 8 with "Living Doll." The spell little Dawnie got whacked with by the thricewise demon she angered just keeps evolving. First, she's a giant; then, she's a centaur; now, she's a¦what? Buffy, ever busy saving the world, will finally have to take action regarding her little sis when Dawn's mysterious disappearance makes it a priority. At least, she better be in some sort of danger, or Buffy's going to kick her butt for wasting precious time acting like an attention-seeking teen which "is" what Dawn is, after all.more

This is an all around superior issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Done in one, funny rather than stupid, dramatic instead of over the top, the story centers on continuity without shunning the new reader and attracts all with bona fide heart. Read Full Review

Heh... With the exception of her horrifying swath of teenage petulance during Season Six, Dawn has always been a phenomenal character, and I really like this issue and the focus on her dilemma. For over two years, we've been getting bits and pieces of the story, because she didn't want Big Sister to have to sweep in and save her from the unknown. This issue teases that, then gives us the swerve, allowing Dawn to save herself (and unintentionally allow Kenny to redeem himself) and letting her stand alone as a young adult. The recent arc of Buffy with it's more loosely connected storyline has been a bit up and down, but original series producer Doug Petrie has a strong handle on the character voices, and Georges Jeanty delivers his usual excellence with the art chores. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #25 earns a strong "mid-season loose ends" episode rating of 4 out of 5 stars overall. In an industry teeming with mega-events, it's good to see a strong character piece done Read Full Review

I suspect I'm not the only person who is glad that the comic is getting closer to its conclusion, though. I do feel bad for Petrie, whose script is going to get overlooked because of bad timing. Hopefully if there's a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine" comic, he'll get to tackle something a little earlier in its run. Read Full Review